Background:
VAnguard's goal is to understand how biological and social factors interact to impair vaccine impact in vulnerable African communities, in order to develop integrated strategies to optimise vaccine benefits and drive health equity.
VAnguard brings together African and UK experts in vaccine research, implementation and stakeholder and community engagement, to work in Uganda and Kenya to:
• Investigate how biological factors (such as infections, nutrition) influence vaccine responses
• Explore how communities perceive and access vaccines, what influences them to take up vaccines for themselves and their families, and how this relates to social vulnerability, biological health status and vaccine information
• Bring together biological and social data, and engage communities, to work out how vaccination can best be optimised for vulnerable communities, thereby also benefitting entire populations.
We shall work with national stakeholders such as Ministries of Health, and vaccine-related non-governmental organisations to review literature, and work on samples from previous studies, to identify Ugandan and Kenyan communities likely to have most difficulty in getting the best out of vaccination programmes.
Based at the UVRI, VAnguard will initiate a new multidisciplinary Group comprising the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), East African partners at the forefront of building vaccine research capacity in the region: UVRI and Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Wellcome Trust Research Programme. Additional contributions will be made by the Medical Research Council (MRC)/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit (MUL), Makerere University, Uganda Christian University (UCU), the Ugandan and Kenyan Ministries of Health (MOH) and expert collaborators.
Opportunities available:
Job title: Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant
Job summary
The Monitoring &Evaluation (M&E) Assistant will support the Project Manager to collect and analyze systematic data from work packages for the quarterly and annual reports. He/she will also support the communications specialist in maintaining web content, executing social media strategies and maintaining calendars and appointments.

Required qualifications, skills, and experience
• A relevant Bachelor's degree from a reputable university
• Relevant experience in a position of monitoring and evaluation including report writing skills and written communication skills in English
• Experience in designing /formulating monitoring tools
• Experience with the execution in data collection, entry and analysis and related work with Proficient use of data analysis software such as EXCEL, SPSS or STATA Basic knowledge in development of web based data collection tools such as survey monkey
• Ability to organise, manage time, set goals and motivate colleagues
Additional information.
VAnguard is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community including candidates with disabilities. The anticipated startdate for the position is 1st November 2022 and the appointees will be based at UVRI, Entebbe. Further information may be obtained from the VAnguard Administrator (Raymond Muganyizi, rmuganyizi@uvri.go.ug) or VAnguard Project Manager (Victoria Bukirwa, vbukirwa@uvri.go.ug).

Job title: Communications Officer
Job Summary
The Communications Officer will:
• Coordinate all aspects of web-based and other communications and engagement activities for Vanguard in collaboration with colleagues at partner institutions
• Support the development and implementation of VAnguard's communications and engagement strategy
• Develop and regularly update communications materials and platforms for VAnguard's internal and external audiences e.g. Newsletters, Reports, Fact sheets, Website, social media etc.
• Generate content and coordinate activities that promote VAnguard's visibility and identify channels of disseminating this content in line with funder branding guidelines
• Respond to media inquiries, arrange for interviews and press statements etc.
• Support Centre fellows to develop engagement plans for their respective research projects
• Participate in relevant meetings, events, seminars and press conferences
• Attend and participate in project dissemination meetings
• Identify and promote new and existing partner platforms through which VAnguard work can be shared e.g. events, publications
• Support staff capacity building in communication related fields e.g. public engagement, message development, photography, social media use etc.
• Undertake any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor

Required qualifications, skills and experience:
• Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications or other relevant subject area
• At least three years of experience working in a communications role in a corporate/institutional setting Significant experience managing websites, web content in a corporate/institutional setting Significant experience managing corporate/institutional profiles and content on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms
• Experience working in a research organization is desirable
• Experience with community engagement
• Good working knowledge of Photoshop or equivalent graphics software and application.


Job title: Laboratory Technologist
Job summary
The Laboratory Technologist will:
• Participate in planning laboratory experiments and projects
• Conduct immunology and molecular biology laboratory Conduct assays and analysis of results, with the support of supervisors
• Ensure that required reagents and supplies are in sufficient stocks and are stored appropriately
• Find and read literature relevant to the work, participate in sharing knowledge through laboratory meetings and journal clubs
• Prepare and review standard operating procedures
• Assist in capacity building by demonstrating practical procedures to new staff and to students on attachments Implement GCLP practices and engage in proactive problem prevention of GCLP practice
• Enter and clean laboratory data, and prepare reports on experiments Help with other laboratory procedures and projects as and when required.
Required qualifications, skills, and experience:
To be eligible, a candidate must:
Be a Ugandan national
Hold a minimum of a second-class bachelor's degree in a biological sciences field from a recognised university
• Have at least one year of experience working in a laboratory technologist (or related) role in a research setting.
• Equivalent post-graduate internship experience will be considered
• Have experience in processing any of blood, stool, urine, DNA or RNA samples from research study participants.
• Experience in conducting enzyme immunoassays (ELISA, ELISpot, Luminex), DNA/RNA extraction, polymerase chain reactions, PBMC separation from whole blood or cell counting is desirable.
• Candidates with some experience in flow cytometry are encouraged to apply, however, this experience is not essential.

Job title: Social Science Research Assistant
Job Summary
The Social Science Research Assistant will:
• Carry out in-depth qualitative interviews with key informants
• Transcribe interviews and other study documents as required Code interviews as per study protocol/ interview coding matrix
• Carry out field activities
• Manage consenting processes and the reimbursements of study participants including accountability
• Undertake any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor
Required qualifications, skills, and experience
• Bachelor's degree in Social Science, Sociology or a relevant subject area
• Short courses on research methods and GCP training are an added advantage
• Relevant experience in conducting qualitative research experience in research based institution or an international
• organisation Experience in design of qualitative research tools, data collection, handling and reporting
• Experience with transcribing and coding transcripts in NVIVO or other qualitative research software
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)